Gagne tops Johnson in Catamount GP round two

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Raphael Gagne (Rocky Mountain Factory Team) earned his first UCI cyclo-cross win at the Green Mountain Cyclocross Weekend. Round one of the Verge New England series saw sixty-one Elite men toe the starting line in picture perfect conditions. Gagne, an accomplished Canadian World Cup mountain biker, was relentless in attacking his rivals today.

Tim Johnson (Cannondale Cyclocross World/Pony Shop) finished second, only a couple bike lengths behind Gagne. Stephen Hyde (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) capped off a stellar weekend by finishing third. Justin Lindine (Redline/ NBX) cut his face on the last trip up the stairs but hung on to claim fourth place. He tweeted later in the day, “Sometimes, your cross bike punches you in the face….hoping to feel good for China.”

The race at the Catamount Family Center started on grass but riders quickly faced a large area of mud. As they jockeyed for good lines, a major crash that took down at least eighth riders and ended Todd Wells’ chances today. While he did not fully go down, he had to watch the leaders motor away.

By the end of the race Wells had brought himself back to fifth position, but unfortunately had towed Luke Keough and others with him. Keough, an accomplished road sprinter, edged out Wells for fifth place.

For much of the race; Johnson, Hyde, Lindine, Gagne, and Curtis White (Cannondale/ Cyclocrossworld.com) battled each other. White made a trip into the pits at one point and permanently lost contact with the lead group.

Tim Johnson led the race early but Gagne went to the front during the first full lap. Lindine also attacked the group a couple times. Lead changes were frequent as one rider after the other tested the legs of his rivals. Only Hyde seemed content to sit in and follow the action. Each time through the start/finish the riders sat up and looked at each other seemingly to determine who was going to launch the next attack up the big climb.

Gagne explained his winning move; “I came into the last corner with probably two bike lengths over Tim. I don’t really consider myself much of a sprinter so that’s why I tried to make a move like three minutes from the finish, before the run-ups and before the last climb. I kept the pressure on technically going down.”

Gagne added, “I felt much better technically today because yesterday was only the second time on a cross bike this year…and these tires, man, they are skinny!”

Most of the top racers in the Elite Men’s field will now set their sights on the CrossVegas race taking place on Wednesday night.